The NHS has sparked a backlash over reports that it puts non-white CVs at the front of the queue. NHS England documents encourage the use of the Rooney Rule – an American football policy that makes it mandatory for ethnic minorities to be shortlisted for interviews if they apply.

Other recruitment practices include making managers justify hiring white British nationals to using race as a “tiebreaker”. Conservative frontbencher Neil O’Brien said public services had been infected by “race-based hiring policies” that mean “people are chosen based on the colour of their skin”.

Mr O’Brien told The Telegraph: “The people who put these policies in place lump together every non-white group as if they are all the same, and will favour someone from a privileged background better than someone who has overcome all kinds of obstacles, as long as they have the right skin colour.”

Former Tory minister Sir Grant Shapps warned the “tick-box” exercise was “entrenching racial quotas”.

He said: “This kind of tick-box policy is patronising, divisive, and fundamentally wrong. Jobs should be awarded on merit, not skin colour.

“We should be building a colourblind society, not entrenching racial quotas under the banner of diversity.”

Earlier this year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting lashed out at “anti-whiteness” in diversity, equality and inclusion practices within the health service.

Most Popular Comments

“Stop all this madness – I think REVOLUTION is in the air …..no longer can the people of Britain tolerate this anti-us stuff going on EVERYWHERE. “ 10

“Given that in general non whites are over represented in the NHS it makes no sense …” 10

“The left and center have been trumpeting that diversity is our strength for so long, …” 10

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The 2010 Equality Act made it legal to take positive action to support the recruitment of ethnic minorities.

But positive discrimination, where a minority candidate is favoured over a white candidate who is better qualified, is illegal in the UK.

It comes after West Yorkshire Police was criticised last week over a “racist” block on white applicants becoming police officers.

The force has temporarily prevented white British candidates from applying for jobs as recruits to its police constable entry programmes in a bid to boost diversity.

An NHS spokesman said: “All NHS organisations should have recruitment policies that are fair for everyone.”